EU air passenger rights will be strengthened under a political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, after 13 years of negotiations over compensation, baggage fees and airline responsibilities. The reform keeps the existing right to compensation for delays of more than three hours, introduces clearer claims procedures and changes how airlines must display fares that include hand luggage.
Why EU air passenger rights will be easier to claim
The agreement preserves one of the most visible parts of the EU’s passenger protection system: compensation for cancelled flights and delays of more than three hours. Under the revised rules, passengers may still claim €250 for flights of 1,500 kilometres or less, €400 for intra-EU flights and flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres, and €600 for longer routes.
The main change is procedural. Airlines will have to inform passengers electronically within 96 hours after arrival when a delay may give them a right to compensation. They will also have to explain how to submit a claim, acknowledge receipt immediately and respond within 30 days, either by paying compensation or by giving a clear reason for refusal.
This is intended to address one of the main weaknesses of the current system: many eligible passengers do not claim what they are entitled to. Consumer groups have long argued that the problem is not only the content of EU rules, but also the difficulty of enforcing them in practice.
Hand luggage becomes part of the visible ticket price
The agreement also changes how airlines present the cost of hand luggage. Air fares that include an allowance for a piece of hand baggage will have to be displayed by default before the booking process begins. The aim is to make prices easier to compare across airlines and booking platforms.
This does not necessarily mean that every passenger will travel with the same baggage allowance at no extra cost. Airlines will retain the freedom to design their pricing structures and may still offer cheaper fares to passengers who travel without a larger cabin bag. But the starting price shown to consumers will have to make the cost of travelling with hand luggage clearer from the outset.
The measure targets a business model widely used by low-cost carriers, where the cheapest advertised fare often excludes larger cabin luggage. Supporters of the reform say this has made it harder for travellers to compare real prices. Airlines and industry groups warn that including more services in the standard offer could raise headline ticket prices.
Families, return flights and boarding passes get new protections
The reform also introduces new protections for families and passengers with specific needs. Adults travelling with children under 14 will be able to sit next to them without paying an additional seat reservation fee. Similar protections will apply to passengers with reduced mobility, pregnant travellers and other passengers requiring assistance.
The agreement also bans no-show policies for return flights. This means passengers who miss or skip the outbound leg of a return ticket cannot be denied boarding on the return flight or charged an additional fee for using it.
Airlines will also have to offer passengers at least one free and effective way to communicate with them. The reform prevents carriers from forcing travellers to use a mobile app as the only way to obtain a boarding pass, a practice that has attracted criticism in recent months.
Airlines warn that stronger passenger rights may raise fares
The aviation industry has pushed for more flexibility throughout the negotiations. Airlines argue that current compensation rules impose high costs and can penalise carriers for disruptions linked to factors outside their control, such as technical problems at airports or air traffic management issues.
The revised rules try to clarify the concept of extraordinary circumstances, listing situations that may exempt airlines from paying compensation. However, if a carrier invokes extraordinary circumstances, it will have to provide passengers with a clear and substantiated explanation. The burden of proof will remain with the airline.
Industry group Airlines for Europe has warned that stronger requirements on baggage transparency and compensation could lead to higher ticket prices. Consumer organisations, by contrast, have welcomed the agreement as a way to consolidate existing protections and make them easier to use.
A 13-year EU compromise now awaits formal approval
The agreement closes a legislative file that began in 2013, when the European Commission proposed revising the EU’s air passenger rights framework. Since then, the debate has divided EU institutions, member states, airlines and consumer groups.
The European Commission described the deal as the first major overhaul of air passenger rights in more than two decades. The rules still need formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council after legal and linguistic checks. Once adopted and published in the Official Journal of the European Union, they will apply after 12 months.
For Nordic and European travellers, the reform is less a revolution than a clarification of rights that already exist. Its practical impact will depend on whether airlines make claims simpler, fares more transparent and assistance more reliable when flights are delayed, cancelled or disrupted.
